The wearing of ordinary footwear on sandy beaches is avoided by most regular beach visitors, because of the discomfort and inconvenience of sand getting into one's shoes. Going barefoot is common, but under certain circumstances this too is uncomfortable, for example if the sand is very hot, or if it harbors hard or sharp objects such as rocks, fragments of coral, or broken shells. Washed-up fragments of seaweed or jellyfish present additional hazards. A simple and popular solution to the problem is the wearing of sandals.
Sandals are widely available in a wide variety of styles and designs, from simple, flat “flip-flops” to anatomically-shaped footbeds with elaborate arrangements of straps and fasteners. In order to have a selection of styles at hand, however, one must purchase several pairs of sandals. The present invention provides sandals with straps that can be readily re-configured by the user into a variety of styles, whether in the interest of appearances or for comfort.
What all prior art designs also have in common is that when they are removed while walking, for example if the wearer wishes to walk barefoot in or near the water, they must then be carried along. It would be desirable to have sandals that can be removed at will, that still leave the wearer's hands free. The sandals of the present invention provide this desirable feature as well.